At Diamantina Press, we're dedicated to showcasing small pieces of Queensland's history, keeping stories alive that give you insight into life during the 1800s and 1900s through high-quality, limited-edition books.
DISCOVER OUR STORIES
Each of our limited-edition books is focused on bringing to life stories from when living off-grid wasn't a choice.
We hope you enjoy our inaugural publication – tales from the wild North-West of Queensland in the 1950s.
The END OF THE PIONEERING ERA
NORTH-WEST QUEENSLAND IN THE 1950S
by Noel Kennedy O.A.M.
tales tall & true...
This slim volume (only 103 pages) is packed full of stories, the kind told around the camp fire or propped up at the bar with beer in hand. If you enjoy stories of life in the bush when the only form of communication was a Flying Doctor radio, and a nip (or two) of rum and a roll-your-own were a luxury then this is a book for you...
Photo of Noel by Rod Green for Queensland Country Life 1994.
About the author
Noel Kennedy was born in 1933 and lived his early years at Kilcoy before the family moved to Cloyne station, near Goomeri, which they bought in 1936. He attended secondary school at Downlands College from 1947 to 1950. The stories in this book cover the period from leaving school to selling Westmoreland in 1962.
He married Robyn Uhle of Gympie in 1962 and they went to live at Castle Hill where they raised their four children. They have eight grandchildren, as well as five great grandchildren.
In 1985 Noel was elected to the Central & Northern Graziers Executive, a sub-branch of the United Graziers Association of Queensland (UGA). He went on to become the C&N President, then the President of Wool Council Australia (1996-98), and in 1998 was elected President of the UGA. He was president until the organisation was subsumed into AgForce in 1999 at the state government’s behest. In 2005 he was awarded the Medal of The Order of Australia for “service to the sheep and wool industries in Queensland, particularly as an administrator, and to the community.”
real stories from people who lived there
We're focused on publishing stories rather than dry histories of 'what happened'. Our first publication is selected because it's a tale of how life was 'back then'. There are more to come, both written and photographic, so stay tuned.
Our publications are backed by historical research, and we choose to centre the voices of those who lived the experience of the times, ensuring accuracy and richness in storytelling.
High-Quality Production
We prioritize quality in the production of our books to ensure they are treasured keepsakes.
All books are produced in limited editions and printed in Brisbane. For this reason there may be a short wait for delivery of your books.
Why diamantina press?
Our interest in Queensland's history is personal.
We grew up along the Diamantina River in north-west Queensland, a river named after the exotic and famed wife of Queensland's first governor.
Yet the river named after her is 1500km from the town she called home for five years.
